Drawer construction for trunks.



I e. H. WHEARY. DRAWER CONSTRUCTION FOR TRUNKS.

Patentedl July 23, 191

3 Sfl\EET-SHEET' I.

APPLJCATION FILED FEB. 23, 1915.

" 22 INVENTUR'F AT TURNEYE;

smrlcmrl, n. c.

e. H. WHEARY.

DRAWER CONSTRUCTION FOB THUNKS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28,1916.

Patented July 23, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2- //\/\/ENTUW 29 218 W W1 I V ATTUWNEYE G. H. WHEARY.

, DRAWER CONSTRUCTION FOR TRUNKS.

7 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1916. mm &%9% Patented July 23,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTUHNE Y5 GEORGE HENRY WI-IEAILY, OF RACINE, WISCONSIN.

DRAWER CONSTRUCTION FOR TRUNKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July as, rare.

Application filed. February 28, 1916. Serial No. 80,857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ,GEORGE Hnunr l/VHEARY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Racine, in the county of Itacine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Drawer Construction for Trunks, of which the following is a description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improve ments in drawer construction for trunks.

In the class of trunks in which there is a compartment provided with a series of drawers (the so-called wardrobe trunks being an example) there have been provided a series of drawers so arranged that two drawers which are normally sepaate and distinct can be converted into a single large drawer to be utilized for ladies hats, the drawers, when used in one form as ordinary trunk drawers, being capableof inclependent withdrawal for the purpose of gaining access to the contents thereof,

whereas in the converted hat receptacle form being connected together to form a hat case of the size of both drawers combined and being capable of withdrawal together as one drawer.

Heretofore constructions have been provided for accomplishing the above end, and the present invention relates to an improvement over the means heretofore adopted, whereby simplicity and convenience in operation and economy in construction are the prime factors designed to be obtained.

With the above primar and other incidental, objects in View, the invention consists of the device and parts or the equivalents thereof as hereinafter forth.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the drawer section of a wardrobe trunk, a fragment of the wardrobe section being shown in. open position and by dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional 1, on line 22 of 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the same plane as Fig. 2, but showing two of the drawers adjusted to form a single hat compartment;

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section on the line view of Fig.

more fully set Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a vertical central section of the drawer section of the trunk, showing a modified form of construction;

Fig. 8 1s a similar vertical section of said modified form, on an enlarged scale and showing two of the drawers adjusted to form a single hat compartment; and,

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of drawer, with the upper front slidable cover shown in its lowermost position;

Fig. 10 is a similar view with the slidable cover in its uppermost position;

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 11-1l of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view of another modified l-orm of drawer construction;

Fig. 13 is a similar view with one of the drawers in inverted position;

Fig. 14 is a detail view of the locking means for holding the front side in adjusted position;

Fig. 15 is a similar view taken on line 15l5 of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 is a sectional detail view of the guide means for holding the front slide.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 9 indicates the drawer section oi an ordinary wardrobe trunk, and 1.0 the wardrobe section thereof. The drawer section is formed with a comjiiartmeut to receive the different drawers. A number oi these drawers, desig nated by the numeral ii, are "forms of drawers as ordinarily eu'aployed, whereas tl e drawers which are designated by the numerals l2 and 12 illustrate the two drawers which embody the improvements of my present invention. The two lower drawers l1 slide on ordinary angle-ways 13 while the lower drawer oi the pair of convertible drawers is slidablo in and out upon a partition 141-. The upper member of the pair of convertible drawers also slides on angle ways 13 and the very uppermost drawer 11 slides upon a partition 15.

The top of the drawer section has hinged thereto a lid or cover 16, shown in dotted lines, which, when the drawer section and wardrobe section are swung together is adapted to cover the wardrobe section. This feature, however, forms no part of the present invention.

As shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the lower drawer of the pair of convertible drawers is provided with a fixed front piece 17 Connected to the inner side df this fixed front piece, or cover, by a stud 18, is a spring arm 19, said spring arm carrying at its upper end an outwardly projecting pin 20, which is adapted normally to extend through an opening 21 in said front piecel't'.

In front of the fixed piece 17 is a sliding cover 22', saidxsliding cover provided on its inner side with a vertically arranged inetallic wear plate 23. When thesliding cover 22 is raised or lowered, the pin 20 rides along the plate 28, and thereby prevents direct contact of the pin'20 with the rear side of the sliding cover 21. This, of course inaterially obviates and avoids wear.

At the'lower edge of the fixed front or cover 17 of the lower drawer of the pair of convertible drawers, and projecting forwardly'therefrom is a horizontal angle-strip 24. This strip projects forwardly sufficiently to form a seat for the lower edge of the sliding cover 22, said lower edge passing just back of the upstanding side flange of the angle-piece.

Secured to the sides of the lower drawer 12 are vertical angle-pieces 2525 which project forwardly a sufficient distance to permit the front flange thereof to overlap the side edges of the slidable cover 22. Thereis also suliicient space between these front flanges and the fixed cover 17 to provide a guide-way for the slidable cover. These angle strips, just inwardly from the corners thereof, are bulged outwardly, as indicated by the numeral 26, and extend outwardly so as to bear against the sides of the drawer section of the trunk and to prevent rattling and movement sidewise of the drawers.

When the sliding cover 22 is in its lowered position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is held releasably locked to the fixed or rigid front 17 by means of the pin 20, which pin not only passes through the opening 21 in said fixed front piece, but also through a registering opening 27 in the sliding cover.

In the case of the top section of drawer 12 of the pair of convertible drawers, the front cover 28 of said drawer instead of being fixed or rigid, is hinged, the hinge connection 29 being between the lower edge of said cover and the bottom of the drawer section. When the hinged cover is in its normal upright closing position, it is releasably held in such position by means of a pivoted latch or dog 30, adapted to engage a notch 31 inside of the drawer section 12.

The front or cover 28 being hinged at its lower edge is, of course, capable of swinging inwardly to the horizontal dotted line position, shown in Fig. 2. It is held in this horizontal position by any desirable means, such, for instance, as a pivoted angular catch 32, which catch is simply turned in a direction to cause its upper horizontal arm to overlie the inner edge of said cover.

Beneath the lower edge of the pivoted cover 28, and secured to and projecting torwardly from the bottom of the drawer section 12 is a horizontal angular strip 3?). Also secured to the sides of the drawer section and projecting forwardly from the sides are vertical angular guide-strips 343 t. These angular guide-strips in addition to performing the function of guides for the sliding cover 22, as hereinafter explained, also act as stops to limit the swing forwardly and outwardly of the hinged cover 28.

As will be seen from Fig. 2, the drawers 12 and 12 are shown in position for use separately or independently, and in this position are capable of being separately ,pushed inwardly or pulled outwardly.

Vhenever it is desired to convert these two drawers 12 and 12 into a large single hat box or receptacle, the hinged cover 28 of drawer 12 is turned inwardly and downwardly to the dotted line position, shown in 2, and held in such position by means of the catch 32. The drawer 12 is then inverted so that the bottom thereof. together with the hinged lid 28, occupy an uppermost position. In this inverted position, of course, the open top of the drawer is lowermost, so that there is no barrier between the upper drawer 12 and the lower drawer 12, and hence the two drawers form a continuous large drawer capable of containing ladies large hats.

Of course, if no means were provided to guard against it, the front of the upper drawer 12 would be open, when said drawer is thus inverted. The closure, however, is provided for by reason of the employment of the sliding cover or gate 22. The handles of this cover are grasped, and the cover pulled upwardly thereby, the yielding character of the spring arm 19, permitting of the disengagement of the pin 20 from the opening 27 of said cover. The cover, in its travel upwardly, is guided in the guideways formed by the lower angular strips 2 5-25 and the upper guide-strips llll. The horizontal guide-strip 33, of course, does not interfere with the upward movement of the sliding cover 22, when the upper drawer is in its inverted position, inasmuch as said horizontal guide-strip 33, of course, under such adjustment is at an upper position. When the cover or gate is raised to its full extent the upper edge thereof passes above the pin 20 and immediately the spring arm 19 springs outwardly and causes the pin to engage beneath the lower edge of the cover 22,-and thereby holds said cover in its raised position, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3.

Hat holders or forms 35 are provided which are adapted to be snapped into holder members 36 of the lower drawer. One of the holder members is attached to the rigid or fixed cover 17 of the lower drawer, and the other holder member 36 is attached to the rear wall of the lower drawer. /Vhen the hat holders 35 are snapped. into engagement with holding members 36, the hat holders will extend above the lower edge oi. the inverted upper drawer, and prevent the withdrawal of said upper drawer independently of the lower drawer. Tn other words, both drawers are then capable of being pulled out together.

henever it is desired to gain access to the hat receptacle, the pin 20 is pushed inwardly to such an extentas to tree it from engagement with the lower edge of the slid.- able cover 22. The cover is then tree to slide downwardly to its position in front of the fixed cover 17 of the lower drawer. Access is then readily obtainable to the lower drawer. It will be it is desired to again form the two separate drawers all that isnecessary is to disconnect the top drawer 12 and turn the same to its original position, that is to say, to such position that its bottom is lowermost. This, oi course, is done after thesliding cover 22. is lowered. When the drawer 12 is thus restored to its original. position the catch 32 is tinned so as to release the hinged cover 28. The said hinged cover is then turned upwardly and oiiitwardly to its normal upright position, being held in such position y the engagement of the catch 30 with the notch 31. r

The constriiiction, thus far described, contemplates two drawers 12 and12, one (the lower) being of greater depth than the upper drawer 12, and it will beseen that the sliding gate 22 is of such height that when raised to the position shown in Fig. 3, the lower edge will extend downwardly below the lower edge or the upper drawer 1.2, so as to permit the pin 20 to extend beneath the lower edge of the sliding gate in order to sup iort said gate in its raised position.

i 7 and 8 show a modification wherein the two drawers 12 and 12 are 01": equal depth. This form is desirable where it is desired to accommodate larger hats in the drawer sect-ions. Tn this modified form, the sliding cover or gate 22 need not be extended so as to project at its lower edge, when it is inraised position, below the upper edge of the drawer section 12, as is the casewith the construction illustrated by Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive. In other words, the lower edge of the sliding cover 22, when said cover is in its raised position, is flush with the lower edge obvious that whenever of the upper drawer section 12, so that the pin 20' engages beneath said lower edge when the cover is in raised position, and engages beneath the upper edge of the sliding cover, when said cover is in its lowered position. This obviates the necessity of providing the hole 21 in the fixed cover 17 of the lower drawer section 12 and the hole 27 in the sliding cover. Also by this modification, when the drawers are converted, or are in the position, shown in Fig. 8, to form the hat receptacle, and the hat forms 35 are removed, the drawer sections 12 and 12 are capable of being independently pulled out wardly and pushed inwardly. This is not true of the sheet 1 form of construction, in asmuch as whenthe drawer sections are adjusted to form the hat receptacle, and the hat forms 35 are removed, it is iumossible to pull outwardly the lower drawer section 12, independently of the upper drawer section 12, in view of the fact that the upper sec tion of the fixed cover 17 of the lower drawer section 12 is back of the downmirdly projecting lower end of the sliding cover 22.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be seen that I provide a simple, convenient and easily manipl'ilated drawer construction for converting two separate drawers into a large single hat receptacle, and by the particular construction of the present invention, I am enabled to dispense with the necessity of hinging the front cover of both of the drawer sections, and am enabled to make one front cover fixed and immovable.

In the modified form shown in lligs. 9 and. 10 and 11 the wear plate 23 is depressed outwardly to form a guide groove 37, as more clearly shown in Fig. 11, to accommodate the lock pin 20 and to permit said lock pin to extend farther outwardly to provide a more secure lock for holding the slide or cover 22 in itsuppcr position. In order to provide tor the automatic engagement oi. the locking pin 20 with the lower edge oi"- the slide cover when said slide cover is pushed upwardly, the portion 88 of the wear plate is inclined inwardly to swing. the loci: pin inwardl;'* and out oidthe groove and. to per mit it to snap beneath the lower edge out the said slide cover. its the end of the lock pin is rounded the slide may be unlocked from its lower position by forcing upwariilly on the slide and when in it upper position ii: may be unloclcodby pressing the lcckin g pin inwardly.

In the modified form shown in l? 12, 13, 1 1-, 15 and 16 the hinged front 0 the upper drawer 12' is eliminated and in lieu thereof the slide cover 22 is adapted to sei'e as the front cover of said drawer i positions oi said drawer. in this our truction the front slide is also guided by the angular guide strips 34, before mentioned, and

having a closed front portion,

be carried by the is locked to the drawer by a spring latch 39. The spring latch is formed with a rounded front end A0 so it will easily snap into and out of engagement with the apertured wear plate 4:1 mounted on the slide cover.

In using this last mentioned form of drawer when in inverted position, the drawer ispulled outwardly a slight distance so that the front slide will clear the front of the lower drawer and when thus moved the front slide may then be pulled downwardly and disengaged from the drawer. This opening permits access to both drawers, but if desired both drawers may be removed as before described.

WVhen the upper drawer is not in inverted position the front slide forms a fixed cover for the front thereof.

From the foregoing description of my invention, it will be seen that I provide a simple, convenient and easily manipulated drawer construction for converting two separate drawers into a large single hat receptacle, and by the particular construction of the present invention, I am enabled to dispense with the necessity of hinging the front cover of both of the drawer sections, and am enabled to make one front cover fixed and immovable.

I have also shown and described my improvements in connection with trunks and particularly in connection with wardrobe trunks, yet I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as it will be obvious that the invention is applicable to drawer construction, generally.

WVhat I claim is:

1. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a compartment, comprising drawers positioned in said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front portion, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, and a slidable cover for the open front portion movable to a position to drawer with the closed front portion. I V

2. A drawer constructionfor trunks and the like having an open front drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned in said compartment, one of said drawers having an open front portion and the other drawer having a closed front portion, the drawer having the open front portion being movable to a position to combine its space with the space of the other drawer into one compartment, and a slidable cover for the drawer having the open front portion movable to a position to be carried by the drawer with the closed front portion.

3. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front portion, and the other drawer and a slidable cover, said cover, under one slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having a closed front portion, and, under the other slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front portion of the other drawer. i

4:. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment comprising drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front portion, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, a slidable cover, said cover, under one slidable adjustment thereof,.being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having a closed front portion, and, under the other slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front portion of the other drawer, and means for releasably locking the slidable cover in its raised posltion.

5. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having drawer compartments comprising drawers positioned within said compartments, one of the drawers having an open front portion, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, a slidable cover, said cover, under one slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having the closed front portion, and, under the other slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front portion of the other drawer, and means for releasably locking the slidable cover in its raised and lowered positions.

6. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having an open front drawer compartment comprising drawers positioned in said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front side, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, the open front drawer being movable to a position to combine its space with the space of the other drawer into one compartment, a slidable cover, said cover, under one slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having a closed front portion, and, under the other slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front portion of the other drawer, and vertical guide-ways in which the slidable cover is movable.

7. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment comprising drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front portion and the other drawer having a closed front portion, verticallydisposed angle-strips secured to the opposite sides of the two drawers and projecting ontwardly therefrom, the front members of the angle-strips projecting inwardly toward each other, and spaced :1 distance fromv the front of the drawers to, form guide-ways, and a cover slidable in the guide-ways, said cover, under one adjustment thereof, being movable to a position to be carried by the drawer having the closed front portion, and under the other adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front portion of the other drawer.

8. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having drawer compartment comprising drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front portion, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, a slidable cover, said cover, under one adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having the closed front portion, and under the other'adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front end of the other drawer, and automatic means adapted, when the sliding cover is raised to a position to close the front of the drawer having an open front, to automatically and releasably lock the said sliding cover in its raised position.

9. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned within said compartm cut, one of the drawers having an open front portion and the other drawer having a closed front portion, a slidable cover, said cover, under one adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having the closed front portion, and, under the other adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front end of the other drawer, and means adapted, when the sliding cover is raised to a position to close the front of the drawer having an open front, to automatically and releasably lock the said sliding cover in its raised position, and, when said sliding cover is lowered to its full extent, to automatically and releasably look the sliding cover in its lowered position.

10. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment comprising drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front portion, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, a slidable cover, said cover, under one adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having a closed front portion, and, under the other adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front end of the other drawer, and a spring arm provided with a projecting pin, said pin adapted, when the sliding cover is moved to its closing upper position, to automatically engage saidsliding cover to releasably hold-it in its closing position.

11. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned within said compartmcnt, one of the drawers having a slidable cover, said covcnnnder one adjustment thereof, being mored to a 'iosition to be carried by a drawer having a closed front portion, and under the other adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to close the open front end of the other drawer, a spring arm connected to the lower drawer and provided with a projecting pin, said pin adapted, when the sliding c ver is moved to its closing" upper position, to automatically engi age said cover to releasably hold it in its closing position and said pin adapted, when the sliding cover is moved to its normal lowered position, to automatically engage the sliding cover to releasably hold said cover in its lowered position.

12. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front side, and a cover therefor, said cover hi uged at its lower edge and adapted to be turned downwardly to a position against the bottom .of the drawer, with a means for releasably locking said hinged cover in the latter position, and the other drawer having a closed front side, the drawer with the open front side being invertible so as to bring its bottom piece and the hinged cover adjusted thereagainst to an uppermost position whereby the spaces of the two drawers are combined into one compartment, and a slidable cover movable to a position to be carried by the drawer with the closed front portion, and also movable to a position to close the open front side of the other drawer, when said latter drawer is in inverted position.

13. A, drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartn'ient, drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having'an open front portiol'i, and the other drawer having a closed front portion, the closed front portion provided with an aperture, a slidable cover provided with an aperture, said cover, under one slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having the closed front portion, at which position the aperture thereof is in register with the aperture of the closed front portion, and, under the other slidable adjustment thereof, the said cover being moved to a position to close the open front side of the other drawer, and a spring arm carried by the lower drawer of the pair, said spring arm having a projecting pm which is adapted, when the sliding cover is lowered to engage the registering apertures in the fixed cover and sliding cover and when the sliding cover is raised to engage beneath the lower edge of said cover and thereby hold the same in its raised position.

1 4:. A drawer construction for trunks and the likehaving a drawer compartment comprising. drawers positioned within said compartment, one of the drawers having an open front side, a slidable cover, said cover, under one adjustment thereof,.being moved to a position to be carried by the drawer having a closed front portion, and, under the other slidable adjustment thereof, being moved to a position toclose the open front portion of the other drawer, vertical outstanding anglepieces along'the side edges of the drawers forming guide-ways in which the slidable cover moves, and a horizontal outstanding angle-piece along the lower edge of the lower drawer, and having a seat for the sliding cover, when said cover is moved to its lowermost. position.

15 A drawer construction for trunks and the like having a drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned in said come partment, one of said drawers having an open front and-adapted to be positioned to combine its space with thespace of the other drawer into one compartment, anda cover for said'open front drawer slidable to a. position to permit access to the combined compartment.

16.. A drawer construction for trunks and thelike. having an open front drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned in said compartment, one of said drawers having, an open front andv adapted to be positioned to combine its space with thespace ofthe-other drawer into one compartment, and aslidable cover for said open front drawer movable: to a position to permit. access to; the combined compartment.

17. A drawer construction for trunks and Oopieso! this patent may be. obtained for five cents each, by addressing. the

the like having an open front drawer compartment, comprising drawers positioned one above the other in said compartment, the upper drawer having an open front and adapted. to be. positioned to combine its space with the space of the lower drawer into one compartment, said upper drawer having a hinged front cover, and a slidable cover for said open front drawer movable to a position to permit access to the combined compartment.

18. A drawer construction for trunks and the like having an open front drawer compartment, comprising two drawers positioned one above the other in said compartment, the upper drawer having an open front and adapted to-be positioned to combine its space with. the space of the lower drawer into one compartment, and a slidablc cover for said open front drawer removable downwardly while the two drawers are combined to permit access to the combined compartment.

19. A d *awer construction for trunks and the like having an open front drawer-compartment, comprising two drawers posi tioned one'above the other in said compartment, the upper drawer having an open front and being invertible to combine its space with the space of the lower drawer into one compartment, and a slidable cover for thefront of the upper drawer movable downwardly in front of the lower drawer to permit access to the. combined space of both drawers.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature- GEORGE HENRY VVI-IEARY.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, 1). G. 

